Fumi "Stephanie" Hancock is a walking example of how an ordinary person from a shackled life of broken promises and shattered dreams can live a fulfilled destiny. After twenty years of dropping her pen, she picks it right back up again by releasing The Grimmlyn Series: The Adventures of Jewell Cardwell, Hydra's Nest. November 2012, the Young Adult Novel became an Amazon Teens Bestseller!

Though having graduated with a postgraduate degree in communication arts, and undergraduate degrees in English studies and nursing, she ascribes her writing to her life experiences, which were many times challenging.

According to her, the protagonists and antagonists in her novels often come from the darkest moments of her life--a tribute to the fact that something good can come out of mysterious and difficult circumstances, if we choose to turn our challenges around. Age is merely a number where success is concerned.

She also pulls some of her characters from her travels around the world--in particular, exotic Africa--uniquely weaving her tales. Fumi loves to write for young adults, particularly urban fantasy, and paranormal nonfiction with a touch of romance. She aspires to one day write a mystery/detective novel for the adult audience. But for now, she is content with her young adult audience.

With her background in nursing, she gently nurses her unusual characters to life for her readers to enjoy.

Her second book in the Grimmlyn series: The Sorcerer's Purgatory is scheduled to be released April 2013.

She lives in Tennessee with her husband, Dr. David Hancock, and her two grown sons, Bola and Demola Thompson. She cherishes her two stepdaughters, who reside in Michigan.

Interview with Fumi

1. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I was born in Africa but have lived in the United States of America for over 30 years. A little over six years ago, my father called me up and told me it was time to return home. I’d literally grown up in the US and this was home to me. Though father lived in the US too, he felt it was time to give back to Africa.

This was an important trip for me as I’d not been back for over 23 years! The trip was equally important because one of my cousins was being crowned a king in one of the provinces and my father felt it was a great opportunity to reconnect with my roots.
The journey was exhilarating yet filled with anxiety as I did not know what I was going to encounter. I trusted my father, packed my bags and went back to West Africa with my family. It was the most incredible journey of my life… to witness a King’s coronation… no words could describe the feelings. What was more important was the surprise which awaited me! The community people rallied around me and reminded me of who I was… their princess who had been gone for long and was now back! I took the time to revisit my childhood boarding school and low and behold, all of my experiences at the school came rushing back.
The characters that readers will encounter in the Adventures of Jewel Cardwell are a culmination of my childhood friends as well as “the conjured friends in my head.” These characters have consistently plagued my dream and haunted my mind into bringing them alive. Every year I would return to Africa (with my American Friends) serving the children in the communities through my non-profit organization the Adassa Foundation, I am reminded of the colorful ambiance and the need to share this part of the world with book lovers.

As I began to paint this African adventure on paper, my sons, 17 and 15 (now 22 and 19) nudged me with their support and their instant enjoyment of the plot. Every time I would complete a chapter, they wanted more. They wanted to see what would happen to the characters. More importantly, they were intrigued by the description of the African setting, the culture of the people revealed through the different characters and the blended families relayed by the characters. Different characters elicited different emotions as they read alongside other young adults reviewing the story.

While there have been some popular fantasy books like Harry Potter, Amanda Hockings Trylle series and Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series, with settings in Europe and America, there has not been one to present the other part of the world. The characters urge me to fill this gap!

My sons were very helpful in painting vivid imagery of “the characters in my head.” Bola, my oldest son was inspired to travel across the ocean… and he made renditions of scenes directly from the book. He alongside his younger brother composed and arranged the trailer songs

2. What do you do when you are not writing?

I love cooking and also watching just laying around the house and watching adventure movies.

3. Do you have a day job as well?

I am a registered nurse by profession and hold a senior managerial position at the corporate level ~ Fortune 500 Healthcare Organization. I also run my nonprofit organization-Adassa Adumori Foundation doing work in Africa and now~ Lets Go Innovate. Need I say more. Whew! Greatly looking forward to when my writing will be totally fulltime….pretty close… Just need more few life lessons to learn….

4. When did you first start writing and when did you finish your first book?

This question always cracks me up whenever I’m being asked. Let me share a story my parents shared with me over 14 years ago. I must have been around 2 years old when this incident happened. Mother always told me that at two while most kids were getting into various things, I had one … it was to write on any paper available at my disposal. My mum told me that it didn’t matter what type of paper it was, I would scribble things on it. At first, it was cute but when I started writing on important documents, they soon did not find it funny. At one point, for almost two weeks, my parents would put me in a room with old newspapers, gave me a marker and told me to go at it until I was tired. They felt that would help me to calm down a little where writing was concerned. They were wrong! If you asked my parents, they would tell when at the age of 2 was when I started writing something! As for me, I can recall back as far as 6 or 7 years old when I started writing poetry.

Now, with the Adventures of Jewel Cardwell: Hydra’s Nest took 2 years! I had to do a lot of research on South Africa as well as other parts of Africa. I pulled from my pool of experiences while born and raised in West Africa. All of these provided the framework for my FANTASY novel. I guess as my readers know more about me; they will probably figure that out. I leave that question up for their imagination.

5. How did you choose the genre you write in?

I have always had a “thing” for Young Adults. As a Social Worker and A Registered Nurse, my passion had always been taking care of Young Adults. I find them fascinating, intriguing and yes, perhaps majority was always in trouble with stories to tell. In addition, 5 years ago, I travelled to Africa alongside my team, The Adassa Foundation… Yet again, the crowd which surrounded me was Young Adults. Because of constantly being around them, I developed a flare for writing stories which would intrigue them. I soon found out that my poems and short stories captivated the young adults on my caseload when I was a Social Worker. Here go, my writing the Adventures of Jewel Cardwell. While many may run away from dealing with Young Adults, I find myself running towards them and wanting to share life with them.

I chose Young Adult Fantasy because of my genuine love for everything young adults. As a mother of two “young men,” I believe they are close to my characters. In addition, my recurring visits to Africa to care for my African children have been a great incentive for me to write something they would read, understand, enjoy and possibly see themselves in. I dedicate the Adventures of Jewel Cardwell to my African kids.

6. Do you ever experience writer’s block?
Oh yeah! With my second book, The Sorcerer’s Purgatory, with all the marketing I had to do with The Adventures of Jewel Cardwell: Hydra’s Nest I hit a snag few weeks ago. What has helped is taking a break completely from the writing process. Read someone else’s novel, then get back on track

7.Do you work with an outline, or just write?
Wow! Great question. First, it starts in my head… I often write a story, scene by scene in my head… imagine for a while, then begin to give voices to each character. I write in free prose and worry about syntax and semantics later.

8. Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?

The writer who wrote The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rains - Tolkien. I love the way the author have used language to drive the story. I am glad that those who have read my book, the Adventures of Jewel Cardwell: Hydra’s Nest say the same.

In addition, John Maxwell’s “The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader” has been and continues to be a source of empowerment for me as I progress in my writing career as well as the leadership role I take in my non-profit organization. One major quality he mapped out in the book is “The First Impression Can Seal the Deal”. When writing, I am constantly reminded of that. I applied that nugget of wisdom to my first chapter in The Adventures of Jewel Cardwell: Hydra’s Nest.

9. How do you market your work? What avenues have you found to work best for your genre?

Facebook! Facebook! Facebook! I have also announced several parts of the book on my twitter. I have hosted some FREE BOOK Giveaways: eBooks and autographed Print Books. This has brought people to my facebook site as well as my website.

In this digital age, we have so many tools, in particular in the area of marketing. It is one thing to write, it is another to ensure that your readers are able to locate your book. Social Media is a big one: Facebook (www.facebook.com/fumihancockgrimmlyn) has worked really well for me. The twitter (www.twitter.com/fumihancock) is also another tool I use to connect with my readers. You tube (http://www.youtube.com/user/TheFromscratchtv) has helped to announce my trailer to the world and Pinterest (http://pinterest.com/fumihancock/) has enabled me to connect with those who pin my book to their walls too.
JOINING GROUPS HAVE BEEN KEY FOR ME TOO.

10.Have you written a book you love that you have not been able to get published?
Many… I will someday go back to them and probably revive them

11.Can you tell us about your upcoming book?
I am currently finishing the sequel to the Adventures of Jewel Cardwell. I am hoping to get the 1st edition, the author’s edition out by March-April 2013. The Sorcerer’s Purgatory will be the second in the Grimmlyn Series. Here, one of the characters, Kaya Darkling the Sorcerer’s daughter in The Adventures of Jewel Cardwell will be a main contender. Behind-the-scenes and Cover Reveal are already published at: http://www.worldoffumihancock.com/#the_sequel/crpz
I think the behind-the-scene and the cover reveal will titillate my readers and prepare them for a great saga. This adventures promises to kick the fun and magical encounters up more notches! Thank heavens; this will not take me another two years to finish!

12.Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination?
Arhh… yes! My trips to Africa truly inspired me to dig further into using it as the setting for my book. Other popular fantasy books like the twilight and Amanda Hocking’s Tryll series have used the US; Harry Potter used certain parts of Europe. I wanted to bring something even more spectacular and unique.

Though many of my characters are not true-bred Africans; The Adventures of Jewel Cardwell: Hydra’s Nest truly explored the dynamics in their lifestyles. It also exposes the way they mingle or co-exist with each other.

In addition, I had to do a lot of research on South Africa as well as other parts of Africa. I pulled from my pool of experiences while born and raised in West Africa. All of these provided the framework for my FANTASY novel.

Besides Jewel Cardwell, Jewel Cardwell’s sidekick, Kaya Darkling, the Sorcerer’s daughter was so much fun to write. She is a culmination of what I would love to be in my magical world and some characters I have encountered in my life journey… full of strength with a little darkness and some light of course. She is a character you would love to hate because of what she represents yet her dark and mysterious side draws people to her. She is an unpredictable lone ranger, yet people look for her to help solve their mundane problems. My imagination truly went wild on her. I love her so much; I am seriously looking at starting a totally new series for her. My next book in this series will be featuring her a great deal. I can’t wait.

13.What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?
Let’s look at characters here --- Besides Jewel Cardwell the main character, Jewel Cardwell’s sidekick, Kaya Darkling, the Sorcerer’s daughter was so much fun to write. She is a culmination of what I would love to be in my magical world and some characters I have encountered in my life journey… full of strength with a little darkness and some light of course. She is a character you would love to hate because of what she represents yet her dark and mysterious side draws people to her. She is an unpredictable lone ranger, yet people look for her to help solve their mundane problems. My imagination truly went wild on her. I love her so much, I am seriously looking at starting a totally new series for her. My next book in this series will be featuring her a great deal. I can’t wait.

14.How did you come up with the title?
My adventures to and fro the outskirts of Africa inspired me to name my first Young Adult Fantasy Novel, The Adventures of Jewel Cardwell: Hydra’s Nest. I wanted my readers to go on a journey to a unique setting alongside my protagonist, Jewel Cardwell. I wanted this novel to be seen as an adventure where my readers not only see themselves in some of the characters they meet in this unique setting; but are also softly educated about other parts the continent. One of my readers once wrote me to tell me, she would like to travel to Africa with me on one of my trips. According to her, my description in the fiction fascinated her well enough. With responses like this, I consider my work done.

15.What project are you working on now?
I am looking forward to writing and romance & adventure novel for adult. Someday, I have the stories in my head already. Just need to pen them down. For now, I am enjoying breaking into the young adult scene and loving every minute of it; as my youth is being renewed on a daily basis through my characters... what do they say about living vicariously through characters? Well, I am there right now.

16.Will you have a new book coming out soon?
Absolutely! I am hoping to get the 1st edition, the author’s edition out by December 2013. The Sorcerer’s Purgatory will be the second in the Grimmlyn Series. Here, one of the characters, Kaya Darkling the Sorcerer’s daughter in The Adventures of Jewel Cardwell will be a main contender. Behind-the-scenes and Cover Reveal will be published soon: http://www.worldoffumihancock.com/

I think the behind-the-scene and the cover reveal will titillate my readers and prepare them for a great saga. This adventures promises to kick the fun and magical encounters up more notches! Thank heavens; this will not take me another two years to finish!

17.What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?
Just few months ago, a reader gave the book a 2.5 / 5. This was the first in the first 18 reviews I have had. The Adventures of Jewel Cardwell has had only one 4/5 rating on amazon and the rest is 5/5. It was interesting to see that even with the rating; she insisted that people read the book. It was also interesting to see that her rating was tied to her feelings for the main character Jewel. While she was unsympathetic to her, others loved the book simply because they were able to follow Jewel’s erratic behavior. For me, this showed me that my work was done as my goal was to elicit different behaviors regarding JEWEL.

As a writer, we have to be able to take “the good, the bad and the ugly” and grow from them all. Thank goodness, I have not had any “ugly” reviews. I am truly appreciative of my reviewers and my readers. Love them all.

GREAT COMPLIMENT: The fact that practically all of my readers say they saw themselves on the streets of South Africa was indeed a great compliment. This was what I set out to achieve even if they are not too happy about the behaviors of some of the characters. I wanted to paint a vivid image of Africa. In addition, my boys telling me they love me and more importantly, when they came back from college and said “THANK YOU for making us great young men I could BE PROUD OF”. Needless to say, the tears came pouring uncontrollably.

18. Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?
Write! Write! Write! Don’t give up. Writing must be a passion and not something we simply want to glorify. We must go in knowing exactly what we are anticipating as our outcome. Do we want to write just to share with family or do we want others outside of our circle of influence to get a wind of it? Do we want to make a career out of this? Once you know what your vision and the expectations for your writing are, then set your eyes like a flint and pursue it. It could be a very long and windy journey but you must be focused; never dissuading but more importantly, PRACTICE YOUR CRAFT ON A DAILY BASIS. Thank heavens for the electronic age that’s changing the fate of many authors. Today, authors have been discovered through Amazon. SO, there is hope outside of the traditional publisher.

19.Is there anything that you would like to say to your readers and fans?
I want to sincerely thank all t hose who have helped to shape my writing career and have pushed The Adventures of Jewel Cardwell to Amazon Bestseller list….I am humbled and grateful.

A little about my current book:

A unique & thrilling African ambiance not familiar to many!
Lying gracefully between the Vaal River in the north and the Orange River in the south, the rolling grassland and fields of crops rising to a lovely sandstone mountain, is Milner Court, Bloemfontein, a suburb nestled in the middle of Free State, South Africa.
The Adventures of Jewel Cardwell: Hydra’s Nest magically transports its readers from the rolling hills of Bloemfontein to the beautiful farmlands of Bela-bela South Africa. It is a fantasy-based coming of age story of a rebellious 17 year old teenager who (through no fault of her own) is thrust into an environment ridden with unfamiliar and unsavory demonic activities when admitted into a prep school in South Africa.

As Jewel Cardwell is relentlessly being trailed by an unapologetic family curse, she races against time to find answers before the curse wipes out all of her loved ones.

In the midst of this demonic war, she becomes entangled in a love triangle between a young rugged-looking Darwin Morton who she grew up with on Milner Court and the very wealthy and popular high school soccer team leader with the silver spoon in his mouth, Eric Broder.

As they say in Hollywood, the saga continues …http://www.worldoffumihancock.com/